The roof is the most critical building structure after foundations. The temperature and humidity conditions in the house, the safety of load-bearing structures and comfortable living depend on the quality of its installation. It is important not only to choose the right roofing material, but also to insulate the roof from the inside with your own hands or with the help of professionals.
Why is insulation necessary
Measures to protect from the cold are necessary, both in the construction of a wooden and stone building. Most often, with private low-rise construction, pitched roofs are chosen. The supporting structures of such a roof are in most cases made of wood, but metal trusses are possible.
When choosing a wooden material, warming is especially important, because it not only provides a comfortable stay, but also protects structures from condensation. Damage to structures by moisture can be as follows:
- the appearance of mold and fungus on the surface of a wooden frame;
- the appearance of corrosion when using metal;
- humidity increase in the house.
Roof insulation options
Depending on the type of roof, insulation is carried out according to different technologies. There are two options for constructing a roof:
- pitched;
- flat.
In the first case, the roof is insulated from the inside. The insulation is fixed between the rafters, while the roofing can be from:
- corrugated board;
- metal tiles;
- ceramic tiles;
- flexible tiles;
- sheets of roofing steel.
In the second case, warming can be carried out both from above and from below. With this design option, it is not entirely correct to carry out work from the inside from the point of view of heat engineering. Most often, reinforced concrete slabs or a monolith are used as supporting structures, the insulation is laid on top of them. Surfacing materials are used for coating.
For an individual house, it is better to use pitched roofs, they will allow you to equip the attic and will not create problems with the drain.
Materials for insulation
For roofing from corrugated board and other materials listed above, it is best to use the following types of insulation:
- mineral wool;
- Styrofoam;
- extruded polystyrene foam;
- polyurethane foam.
For a wooden house, it is necessary to take into account the resistance of the material to fire, therefore it is better to use non-combustible mineral wool or extruded polystyrene foam. More information about mineral wool insulation can be found in the article “Insulation of the roof from the inside with mineral wool”.
The advantages of polystyrene include:
- low cost;
- good thermal insulation;
- light weight.
When used under the roof of corrugated board or other materials, it is important to remember that the foam has low strength and is unstable to the simultaneous effects of water and low temperatures. When choosing this material, it is important to properly protect the material from exposure to steam and moisture.
Extruded polystyrene (foam) is deprived of the shortcomings of the foam. When used in the house, it provides reliable protection from the cold, is not afraid of moisture, has a sufficiently high strength. Insulating the roof from the inside with such a heater does not require special skills. The disadvantage of penoplex often becomes its relatively high cost.
The fourth option of warming the roof of the house is not as popular as the previous ones, but it has a lot of advantages.
- polyurethane foam is sold in cylinders, which greatly simplifies its use;
- excellent grip;
- filling all cracks and bumps;
- good thermal insulation.
Technology
The quality of thermal insulation of a house depends not only on a competent choice of insulation, but also on its proper installation. When warming a roof from corrugated board or other materials, the following order of layers is observed from bottom to top:
- covering the ceiling, for example, with drywall;
- lathing at the bottom of the rafters;
- vapor barrier;
- rafter legs;
- insulation between the rafters;
- waterproofing and wind protection;
- counter grill to ensure sufficient ventilation clearance (if necessary);
- roof lath made of corrugated board or metal tile (moisture-resistant plywood is additionally laid under the roof of flexible tile);
- roof covering from corrugated board or other materials.
When warming the roof of a house, it is important to consider the following recommendations:
- mineral wool requires a mandatory ventilated layer with a thickness of 5 cm;
- the rafter pitch is selected depending on the width of the insulation to facilitate the installation process;
- when working with mineral wool or polyurethane foam, special clothing and personal protective equipment are required;
- vapor barrier is always located on the side of warm air, and waterproofing on the side of the cold;
- the height of the rafter leg should be equal to or greater than the thickness of the insulation.
For competent warming of the house, work is carried out in the following order:
- installation of the rafter system;
- fixing waterproofing;
- installation of the upper crate;
- warming;
- vapor barrier;
- lower crate.
Next, the installation of the roofing is completed and the interior decoration is performed. The fixing method for each material is different:
- Mineral wool is held between the rafters due to friction. In this case, the width of the insulation is taken 2 cm more than the step of the rafters.
- Polyurethane foam adheres to the surface due to penetration into the smallest irregularities and crevices. Before starting work, in order to improve adhesion, it is recommended to moisten the surface with spray water.
- Polyfoam and extruded polystyrene foam are kept on the roof of the house during operation due to the lower battens, and during the installation process, you can use anchors, nails, umbrellas, tile mastic or liquid nails.
Proper insulation of the rafter system will ensure compliance with the temperature and humidity conditions in the attic or attic, protect structures from damage and reduce the financial costs of heating the entire building.
Heated air always rises, and mainly heat loss occurs through the roof or attic floor. That is why it is important to pay increased attention to warming feasting roofing.